Aaliyah Rose

NEWMAN—Aaliyah Rose Hernandez, 14, of Newman, passed away Tuesday, Sept. 3 at Sarah Bush Lincoln Hospital.

A funeral service is 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 7 at Wesley Chapel Church in Newman. Visitation is 4 -7 p.m. at the Shiloh High School Gymnasium.

Aaliyah was going to write a book one day, a tell all about all the hardships she overcame. Instead, we will do our best to tell her story through her obituary.

Aaliyah Rose was born Oct. 18, 2009. People who loved her very much included her Grandma, her older sister, Lizzie, her younger siblings: Lexi, Chris, and Giovanni and her nephew, Isaac.

Aaliyah found her home and family with Kyrie Mixson in Newman and began on a journey of healing from how the world had betrayed her over and over again. Aaliyah was supported and loved by so many and often called herself an Allen-Mixson. Kyrie, Chris, Sean, Tarne, Katrina, Nick, Kylie, Lane, Kamryn, Irvin, Grandma Dee, Grandpa Steve, Scott, Lisa, Seth, Lyndi, Misty, Patrick, Brady, Madison, Ino, Ina, Daniel, Crystal, Kya and Wes were beyond proud to call her family.

They take peace in knowing that she is reunited with her Grandma, who Aaliyah missed and loved very much.

It was a privilege to all who knew and loved her to watch Aaliyah Rose bloom. Coming to Kyrie’s home after far too long in the broken foster care system, Aaliyah slowly but surely learned to love and to trust and receive the love of others, and to see the value, the beauty, and the potential in herself that we always saw. 

Her family, friends and teachers celebrated as she made the honor roll, was inducted into the Junior Beta Club, elected to Student Council, and played volleyball.

It is impossible to overstate the magnitude of the challenges Aaliyah faced, but face them she did, and her progress was amazing. She did not always make great choices, but she increasingly made far more good choices than poor ones. 

We were, and continue to be, immeasurably proud of her. Her future was as bright as her radiant smile, and she looked forward to taking drivers ed and getting her permit, meeting her twin cousins who are expected to be born later this month, and being in Kylie and Lane’s wedding. Our hearts are broken that we will not get to see all that life could have been for her but take comfort in knowing that Aaliyah knew she was deeply loved. 

For all of the ways that our love changed her life, she changed ours even more, and we will never be the same for having shared the last three years with her. It was not nearly long enough.

Monetary gifts may be made to the Mixson family in Aaliyah’s honor to assist with funeral and associated expenses.

Online condolensces at www.krabelfuneralhome.com.